Football supporters from OLSC West Yorkshire group raise thousands for dementia charity, Memory Action Group, by walking and cycling over 1,000 miles

A cheque for £5,664 was presented to the founder of Memory Action Group – a Wakefield charity which supports people with dementia – at the Official Liverpool Supporters Club (OLSC) West Yorkshire group’s Christmas social on Sunday, December 8, at Liversedge Cricket Club.

The Wakefield organisation had been selected as this year’s charity by the group, and its members collectively travelled over 1,000 miles by foot or bike earlier in the year.

Paul Shaw, an OLSC member, said the chosen charity was a personal choice for the group’s members this year.

He said: “We felt that we could make a real difference here and the fact that a number of our members have had their lives impacted upon by dementia meant that this felt a little personal to us all."

Last year, the group raised £8,500 for the men’s mental health charity, Andy’s Man Club, through a bike ride from Manchester to Cleckheaton and a walk from Huddersfield to Liversedge.

“It is to the credit of everyone that year on year they give up their valuable time to support others that are in need,” he added.

The fundraising events this year included around 40 members walking from Wakefield to the cricket club, as well as five who completed a round trip by bike from Liversedge to Standedge Tunnel.

The group also raised money for other charities this Christmas, including £350 for Wakefield Hospice, £350 for the Cleckheaton Christmas Elves, and £200 for the Jubilee Project Huddersfield, which supports homeless people.

The cheque was presented to Jan Archibald, who set up the dementia support group in 2018 to provide twice-weekly drop-in sessions for those living with dementia and their carers.

The group is run by a handful of volunteers and relies on donations to fund its services. Jan has previously said the group is trying to save up money to relocate to bigger premises and enhance its services.

More information about the charity can be found on its website.